Summary: The Yankees clinched their 40th pennant in grand old fashion Sunday, beating the Angels behind stalwarts Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera. After falling behind 1-0, the Yankees responded with a three-run fourth inning, highlighted by Johnny Damon's two-run single and A-Rod's bases loaded walk. Up 3-1 with six outs to go, Rivera was summoned to pick up a two-inning save and allowed one run in the eighth. Two crucial Angels errors in the bottom of the inning allowed the Yankees to pad their lead en route to the win.

Key stat: Pettitte earned his 16th career postseason win, breaking the record he had previously tied with John Smoltz. He also recorded a record fifth series-clinching win.

Summary:Alex Rodriguez ended his World Series drought with a fourth-inning home run -- the first of its kind that required a replay review. The two-run blast helped the Yankees recover from an early deficit while Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher provided solo home runs later on to give the Yankees a 2-1 series lead. Andy Pettitte earned the win -- his 17th in postseason history.

Key stat: Swisher was 2-for-4 with two runs scored in his first game back after being benched in Game 2.

Summary: The Yankees clinched their 40th pennant in grand old fashion Sunday, beating the Angels behind stalwarts Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera. After falling behind 1-0, the Yankees responded with a three-run fourth inning, highlighted by Johnny Damon's two-run single and A-Rod's bases loaded walk. Up 3-1 with six outs to go, Rivera was summoned to pick up a two-inning save and allowed one run in the eighth. Two crucial Angels errors in the bottom of the inning allowed the Yankees to pad their lead en route to the win.

Key stat: Pettitte earned his 16th career postseason win, breaking the record he had previously tied with John Smoltz. He also recorded a record fifth series-clinching win.

Summary:CC Sabathia, pitching on three days' rest, dominated the Angels once again by tossing eight innings of one-run ball to give the Yankees a 3-1 series lead. Alex Rodriguez continued his torrid streak by hitting his fifth home run of the playoffs and extended his streak of an RBI in eight straight postseason games. Melky Cabrera broke out of his slump with three hits and four RBIs.

Key stat: In three playoff games, Sabathia has three wins and an ERA of 1.19.

Summary: The rainy weather held off to allow the ALCS to remain on schedule with Game 2 on a chilly Saturday in the Bronx. The game, however, extended into Sunday and lasted until Maicer Izturis' throwing error allowed Jerry Hairston Jr. to score the game-winning run at 1:08 a.m. A.J. Burnett started and put in another fine performance, but earned his second straight no decision.

Key stat: A-Rod, who is batting .368 this postseason, clubbed his third game-tying home run in five games in the 11th inning to help extend the game after the Angels took a lead on Chone Figgins' first hit and RBI of the postseason in the top of the frame.

Summary:CC Sabathia continued to earn his hefty paycheck with eight dominant innings to earn the victory in Game 1 of the ALCS. On a cold, windy night in the Bronx, the Yankees got to Angels starter John Lackey, who allowed nine hits and four runs, two of which were earned. Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter added late RBIs and Mariano Rivera picked up his 36th career postseason save.

Summary: The Yankees closed the door on the series with a brilliant pitching performance from Andy Pettitte, who picked up his 15th career postseason win. A base-running gaffe by Nick Punto help the Yankees keep a late lead, which the Bombers cushioned with a pair of runs in the ninth. Mariano Rivera, who came into the game in the eighth to retire likely MVP Joe Mauer, picked up his 34th career postseason save.

Key stat: A-rod hit a game-tying homer in the seventh inning off Carl Pavano and Jorge Posada broke the tie with another solo shot two batters later.

Summary:Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez added two more home runs to the Yankees' all-time postseason highlight reel en route to a dramatic win in the Bronx to give the Yankees a 2-0 series lead. After A.J. Burnett and Nick Blackburn battled in a pitchers' duel, Twins closer Joe Nathan came in to lock down the save with a 3-1 lead. A-Rod, however, blasted a two-run homer to right-center to tie the score. In the top of the 11th, Teixeira led off with a line drive down the left field line that sailed just over the wall to win it.

Key stat: After starting the series 0-for-7, Teixeira came through with two key hits in the late innings.

Summary:CC Sabathia came through with 6 2/3 strong innings while Derek Jeter and A-Rod came through at the plate to help the Yankees take a 1-0 series lead. After falling behind 2-0 early, Jeter stroked a two-run home run to left to tie the game. Nick Swisher broke the tie with an RBI double and Rodriguez added a pair of RBI singles later to widen the lead.

Summary:Juan Miranda became the latest member of the pie-in-the-face club when he singled up the middle and off Kyle Farnsworth's leg to plate the game-winning run. It was the Yankees' 15th walkoff win of the year. A.J. Burnett started and pitched well, but was in line to pick up the loss before the latest Yankees' heroics bailed him out. .

Key stat: Miranda became the ninth player to deliver a walkoff hit for the Yankees this year. For those counting at home: Melky Cabrera leads the team with three, followed by Posada (2), Rodriguez (2), Cano (2), Damon (1), Matsui (1) Swisher (1), Cervelli (1) and Miranda (1). The Yankees also won a game on a game-ending error by the Mets' Luis Castillo.

Summary: For the first time since 2006, the Yankees earned the right to don "AL East Champion" paraphernalia, as Andy Pettitte led the team to win No. 100, and in turn, home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Key stat: The win knotted the Yankees/Sox season series at nine wins apiece, a series that Boston led, at one point, 8-0.

Summary: The Yankees clinched a postseason berth when Texas fell to Oakland about an hour earlier, but still snuck by the Angels, 6-5, after blowing a 5-0 lead. Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui both homered for the second straight night and Rodriguez provided the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly to center. Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth for his 41st save.

Key stat:Derek Jeter went 1-for-4 to record his 200th hit of the year. He became the oldest Yankee to record 200-hit season -- the seventh of his career.

Summary:Hideki Matsui tied the game with a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Francisco Cervelli won it with his game-winning single to help the Yankees split a two-game series with the Blue Jays in the Bronx. Mariano Rivera, who pitched a scoreless ninth, earned the win. The Yankees played without Jorge Posada, who was serving the first game of his suspension after igniting a brawl the day before.

Key stat: It was the Yankees' 14th walkoff win of the season, three short of the franchise record.

Summary:Mark Teixeira, who had three hits and two RBIs, and Nick Swisher, led the Yankees past the Angels in a make-up game in the Bronx. After Phil Hughes allowed the Angels to tie the game in the top of the eighth, the Yankees plated two more runs in the bottom half to take the lead. Mariano Rivera closed it out for his 40th save.

Key stat: Rivera notched seventh 40-save season and first since 2005.

Yankees' record: 93-52

(Credit: David Pokress)

Orioles 10, Yankees 4

September 11, 2009

Summary:Derek Jeter has finally done it. The Captain's single down the rightfield line in the third inning moved him past Lou Gehrig and into first place on the Yankees' all-time hit list. The game looked as though it wouldn't happen with steady rain soaking the area all day, but after a hour-and-a-half delay, the fans were able to witness history. The Yanks' bullpen, however, couldn't hold the lead and their four-game win streak came to an end.

Key stat: Jeter broke a record that Gehrig held for seven decades. Jeter is 12 hits away from reaching the 200-hit mark for the seventh season in his 14-year career.

Summary:Derek Jeter broke out of his slump to notch three hits and tie Lou Gehrig atop the list for most hits by a Yankees player in the franchise's storied history. Jorge Posada smacked a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the eighth inning to complete a four-game sweep of the reeling Rays.

Key stat: Jeter had a chance to break the record in the eighth inning, but walked against Rays reliever Grant Balfour.

Summary:Nick Swisher's second home run of the night earned him a pie in the face. He launched a one-out shot in the ninth inning that crept over the wall and sent the Yankees 40 games over .500 with their seventh straight win. Mariano Rivera earned the win after pitching a perfect ninth.

Key stat: The Derek Jeter's hitless slump continued, as he went 0-for-4 to drop his average to .327.

Summary:Andy Pettitte lost his perfect game with two outs in the seventh inning on an error by Jerry Hairston Jr., then lost the no-hitter a batter later. Nick Swisher provided the offense with three hits, including a solo home run and an RBI double.

Key stat: Pettitte now has 190 wins as a Yankee and moves into sole possession of third place on the all-time list.

Yankees 5, White Sox 2

August 28, 2009

Summary:C.C. Sabathia turned in another quality start for the Yankees, allowing two runs in seven innings of work. Chicago starter Mark Buehrle matched the Yankee ace, though, allowing two runs in six innings. Fortunately for New York, Robinson Cano's heroics ensured the Yanks wouldn't go home losers, as the second basemen sent a three-run walkoff home run into the night in the bottom of the 10th to give the Bombers their 80th win.

Key stat: Cano's blast was the Yankees' sixth walkoff home run this season.

Summary: The Yankees, led by Hideki Matsui's two homers and seven RBIs, jumped out early and never looked back, winning their fifth consecutive game against the rival Red Sox. Andy Pettitte struggled on the mound, but managed to earn the win thanks to the Bombers' relentless offense.

Key stat: In the long, exciting history of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, no game had ever seen 31 runs plated ... until Friday's victory for New York.

Summary:Mark Teixeira's 30th home run in the top of the ninth inning gave the Yankees the lead and Nick Swisher added an RBI single to set the stage for Mariano Rivera, who picked up his 34th save. Andy Pettitte went six innings, allowing two runs and struck out a season-best 10, before departing with the score tied at 2. Phil Hughes pitched the eighth and got the win.

Summary:Robinson Cano came through for the Yankees with an 11th-inning single off the wall to drive in the winning run and help the Yankees conclude their homestand with a 6-1 record. Derek Jeter left the game in the third inning after getting hit by a pitch in his first at-bat. Newly acquired Chad Gaudin pitched two extra-inning frames and picked up the win.

Key stat: The Yankees are a major league-best, 41-18 at home this season.

Summary: Back-to-back homers by Hideki Matusi and Jorge Posada in the eighth inning helped the Yankees complete a late comeback and get back on the winning track against the Jays. Jesse Carlson allowed both bombs, the second of which was held up after review. Dave Robertson earned the win in relief and Mariano Rivera notched his 33rd save.

Key stat: This was the third straight game in which the Yankees hit back-to-back home runs.

Summary: The Yankees completed their four-game sweep of the Sox in dramatic fashion Sunday night to take a 6.5-game lead in the AL East. After Victor Martinez homered to give Boston the lead in the eighth inning, Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira hit back-to-back jacks to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the inning. Nick Swisher followed with a two-run single and Mariano Rivera picked up the save.

Summary: CC Sabathia (12-7) followed A.J. Burnett's lead from the night before, shutting down the Red Sox in seven-plus innings to help the Yankees top their rivals once again. Robbie Cano paced the Yankees with three hits and Derek Jeter gave the bullpen some breathing room with a late, two-run homer.

Summary: Alex Rodriguez belted a two-run, 15th-inning homer to give the Yankees their second straight win over their rivals at 12:42 a.m. in the Bronx. Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett dazzled to start the game and the bullpens wouldn't cave either until A-Rod ended his 72-at-bats-without-a-homer streak with his 20th blast of the year.

Key stat: They went into extra innings scoreless, the first time that has happened in this rivalry since 1976.

Summary: The Yankees finally ended their season-long futility against the Red Sox with a blowout win to improve to 1-8 against their rivals in 2009. Joba Chamberlain and John Smoltz both struggled, but it was the Yankees who capitalized. Three-run homers by Melky Cabrera and Jorge Posanda in the 8-run fourth inning fueled the charge.

Key stat: Chamberlain tied his career high with 108 pitches -- in only five innings. He also walked a career-high seven batters.

Yankees 8, White Sox 5

August 2, 2009

Summary: Melky Cabrera's historic cycle helped the Yankees avoid the sweep in Chicago. Cabrera became the first Yankee since Tony Fernandez in 1995 to accomplish the feat, which he completed with a ninth-inning triple. The game was billed as matchup of aces with CC Sabathia battling Mark Buehrle, but neither pitched to their reputations.

Key stat: Sabathia came in with a 7-1 record and a 2.84 ERA at U.S. Cellular Field.

Summary: With The Boss looking on, Joba Chamberlain continued his dominance with eight shutout innings to give the Yankees their fourth straight series win. Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera and Mark Teixeira all went deep to help out Chamberlain, who improved to 3-0 with a 0.83 ERA since the break.

Key stat: The Yankees hold a 3.5 game lead over the Red Sox in the AL East. It's their largest lead since August of 2006, when the Bombers memorably swept a 5-game series at Fenway Park.

Summary: The Yankees, behind another dominant performance from Joba Chamberlain (6-2), remained undefeated since the All-Star break at 8-0. Chamberlain allowed two hits and one run in seven-plus innings. Jorge Posada's solo home run and a late offensive outburst in the eighth inning made it easy on the bullpen on a night off for Mariano Rivera.

Key stat:Derek Jeter's three hits gave him 2,655 for his career and moved him past Ted Williams (2,654) into 68th on baseball's all-time list.

Summary: For the third straight day, the Yankees won a pitchers' duel, 2-1. This time, the Orioles came to town and were stymied by Andy Pettitte, who pitched well into the eighth inning. The Yankees made a pair of sterling defensive plays -- Jose Molina in the middle of both -- to prevent the Orioles from taking the lead in the eighth. In the ninth, Hideki Matsui crushed a one-out homer into the rightfield bleachers to give the Yanks a share of first place in the AL East. Pies in the face ensued.

Key stat: Pettitte rebounded with a strong start after giving up six earned runs in each of his previous two games.

Summary:Joba Chamberlain dazzled on Old Timers Day, striking out eight while only giving up one run in 6 2/3 innings. Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira each supported Chamberlain with solo home runs, and the Yankees bullpen trio of Phil Coke, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera closed out the game (2 1/3 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs).

Key stat:Hughes hasn't given up a run since June 10. In that span, he has dropped his ERA from 5.26 to 3.70.

Summary: With the Yankees trailing 3-2 in the seventh, Mark Teixeira hit a home run with Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon aboard, giving the Yankees all the runs they would need. A.J. Burnett did not have his best stuff, but he trudged his way to a quality start, allowing three earned runs in six innings. Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera got the last nine outs.

Key stat:Phil Hughes recorded every out of his by strikeout, sitting down the maximum six in two innings.

Summary: A game-ending RBI single by Jorge Posada in the 12th inning gave the Yankees a 6-5 win. The Yankees roughed up Roy Halladay to the tune of five runs, allowing them to overcome another poor start by Chien-Ming Wang (four earned runs, 5 1/3 innings), who left with an injury. Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada all homered for the Yankees.

Summary: Three second-inning errors by the Mets infield gave the Yankees an early 4-0 lead that they never relinquished. Brett Gardner had a home run amongst his career-high five hits for the Yankees, and Alex Rodriguez hit a late home run to ice the game. A Gary Sheffield home run was the lone bright spot for the Mets, coming in the fifth inning to break up CC Sabathia's perfect game bid.

Key stat: Rodriguez's home run was the 564th of his career, placing him ahead of Reggie Jackson on the all-time home run list.

Summary: The Subway Series finale was, in Johan Santana's words, "terrible." The southpaw ace of the Mets staff turned in the worst outing of his career, allowing nine runs in three innings, as the Yankees shellacked New York, 15-zip.

Key stat: Through five innings, and prior to being yanked, Derek Jeter was 4-for-4.

Summary: Wow. When Alex Rodriguez popped up to second base with two outs in the ninth, it appeared as though the Mets would win the Subway Series opener, K-Rod would pick up the save and Mariano Rivera the loss. When Luis Castillo dropped it, however, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira sprinted around to give the Yankees an improbable win to end a wild, back-and-forth game at Yankee Stadium.

Key stat: It was the first time the Yankees have won on a walk-off error since July 7, 2003, against Boston.

Summary: Trailing 3-1 in the eighth, the Yankees used an unorthodox rally to come from behind. With nobody out and the bases loaded, Robinson Cano walked, then Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui drove in the tying and go-ahead runs on back-to-back groundouts. After getting smacked the day before, Mariano Rivera pitches a 1-2-3 ninth for his 13th save.

Key stat: The comeback win was the Yankees' major league-leading 20th this year.

Summary: Returning to the scene of his infamous blown save in the 2007 ALDS, Joba Chamberlain shrugged off another swarm of flying midges to throw eight strong innings in his best game as a starter. The Yankees capitalized on 11 walks and broke through against Indians reliever Greg Aquino in the seventh, scoring four times to provide a nice cushion for the late innings.

Key stat: The Yankees completed their 18th consecutive game without making an error to establish a new major league record.

Summary: With a fully healthy lineup at his disposal for the first time all season, Joe Girardi watches as Andy Pettitte's back stiffens in the fifth, forcing him out of the game in the sixth. But Alfredo Aceves and Mariano Rivera combine for four innings of effective relief and the lineup does just enough against AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee to give the Yankees the win.

Key stat: The win put the Yankees in sole possession of first place in the AL East for the first time in more than two years.

Summary: With a healthy Chien-Ming Wang waiting for another shot to join the rotation, Phil Hughes pitched with a purpose on Memorial Day in a dominant outing against the Rangers. The 22-year-old pitched eight strong innings, allowing three hits and no runs in his return to Arlington -- the site of his no-hit bid two years ago. Alex Rodriguez (5-for-5) and Mark Teixeira (2-for-4) had nice returns to the Lone Star state as well.

Key stat: A-Rod's average ballooned from .189 to .259 after his five-hit day.

Summary: The Yankees helped prove why Brad Lidge isn't the model of perfection he was in 2008. The Bombers rallied for three runs off the Phillies' closer in the bottom of the ninth for yet another walkoff win in the Bronx. Alex Rodriguez tied it with a dramatic, two-run homer and Melky Cabrera drove in Robinson Cano for the game-winning run.

Key stat:Brad Lidge has already given up more earned runs this year (19) than all of last year (15).

Summary: Again? Yes, the Yankees won their third straight game in walk-off fashion courtesy of Johnny Damon's game-winning home run in the 10th inning. After Brett Gardner was tagged out at the plate in the ninth, Damon came through in the 10th. His reward was Burnett's third straight whipped cream pie in the face -- a common theme this weekend in the Bronx.

Key stat: This was the first time since Aug. 27-29, 1972 that the Yankees won three straight games in walk-off fashion.

Summary:Melky Cabrera's two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning off Twins closer Joe Nathan drove home the winning run to give the Yankees' their third straight win. In A-Rod's first game at the new Yankee Stadium, he wasn't given much a chance to flex his bat, drawing four walks and finishing 0-for-1 at the plate. The two centerfielders battling for a starting role, however, did. Aside from Cabrera's game-winner, Brett Gardner, hit an inside-the-park home run and led off the ninth inning with a triple.

Key stat: Gardner's sprint around the basepaths was the first inside-the-park home run hit by a Yankee since Ricky Ledee did it against Seattle Aug. 29, 1999.

Summary: It didn't take long for the Yankees to feel the impact of Alex Rodriguez's return to the lineup. In the first swing of his first at-bat, he belted a three-run home run off Jeremy Guthrie at Camden Yards. CC Sabathia (2-3) did the rest, pitching a four-hit shutout and striking out eight.

Key stat: Neither Cody Ransom, Angel Berrora or Ramiro Pena managed to hit a home run in 28 games while filling in for A-Rod, who only needed one pitch.

Summary: An early 4-0 edge evaporates when Andy Pettitte and Mark Melancon conspire to allow six runs in the sixth inning and Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez yield three more in the seventh. But the Yankees fight back with four in the eighth to make it 9-8. In the bottom of the ninth, they load the bases against Angels closer Brian Fuentes, and Jorge Posada delivers his fourth career walkoff hit -- a two-run single to left-center.

Key stat:Robinson Cano (.378) went 3-for-5 and extended his hit streak to an AL-best 18 games.

Summary: The Yankees get their third straight win thanks to a pair of eighth-inning hits by Melky Cabrera and rookie Ramiro Pena. Cabrera's hit, which breaks a 4-4 tie, comes after the Angels choose to intentionally walk Nick Swisher to load the bases. Pena follows with a two-run double to give the Yankees some insurance.

Key stat: Cabrera had two hits and raised his average to .327. Cabrera batted .249 in 2008.

Yankees' record: 12-10

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